OLD-GROWTH FOREST UPDATES 
Restoring Marden Creek - We had a great turnout again this year for Marden Creek Restoration day. Folks of all ages helped us narrow the banks of the creek with old Christmas trees and secured logs to deflect the water current to stop erosion. We planted lots of trees, shrubs and wildflowers to protect the creek and provide wetland habitat. A big thank you to all our volunteers, members of the Speed valley chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Central Funding Committee who granted us funds to purchase chest waders, tools and native plants for our continued restoration work.
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The OGFP booth was busy place to be at the recent Open Farm Day. Kids built their own "bee hotels"; made from cardboard tubes and phragmites stalks, and decorated dragonflies made from maple keys and buckthorn sticks. The booth also offered a forest plant ID game and a mini forest display. |
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| We say goodbye to our seasonal restoration assistant, Sarah Hines (left). Thank you for all your hard work, creativity, and positive energy this summer! |
THE GARLIC PULL
Greg Kennedy, SJ
a timely August tearing
an underground groan of undoing
a together binding of winter meals
seasoned with this sunny now
in the pull
some aged roots remain
holding hands with earth
in the pull
she retains a maternal touch
damp and dark
over pale paper skin
the straw tells broken stories
as we work
across its back
we laugh
despite the silence
REVISITING GUELPH
igNation - A Jesuit Blog
by Jean Marc Laporte, SJ
My connection with the Jesuit property in Guelph goes back 60 years, when I walked through the door marked St. Stanislaus Novitiate and met my novice master, Fr. Len Fischer. With 23 others I was entering into a traditional novitiate, on a sizable farm, mostly devoted to the fields where apples and other fruits, vegetables, and farm animals provided sustenance for the over 100 inhabitants (at the time some 50 novices, 25 juniors, and many priests and brothers.
The priests were staff for the young men in formation or assigned to other ministries, the brothers looked after the house and the barn. As much as possible this was to be a self-sustaining operation, which significantly cut down the need for outside purchases.
ONE TESTIMONY
Guelph Walking Pilgrimage to Martyr Shrine 2018
By Bob Berno
Here comes the sun (doo doo doo doo)
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One lost sole from the Pilgrimage |
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right
Arrg! Is it morning already?! And what's with the cowbell?
I can't feel the blisters on my feet; I am more preoccupied with getting my legs to move. I feel so old! This pilgrimage was physically, mentally and spiritually daunting... and it was a
decadent indulgence!
Why the apparent contradiction? Mostly, the credit goes to the outstanding organization. The volunteers took meticulous care of all of our necessities (food, fluids and shelter). With our material needs addressed, we pilgrims had the luxury to focus our full attention to the pilgrimage, the daily contemplations from
Laudato Si', and our own personal trials.
It was remarkable how quickly and completely we developed into a community. All of those protective barriers we normally hide behind in our daily lives were stripped away, leaving us vulnerable... and safe. Safe because we all felt that we belonged. Whatever burdens we carried became shared burdens, with no judgement, only compassion. Sixty-five odd strangers from very different backgrounds came together like I have never experienced before. Not everyone was Catholic, and everyone was well and truly welcome. It was a very great privilege to be empowered to confront my own personal demons in such a warm and safe environment.
In closing I wish to offer a special shout out to all those who offered homilies during our daily masses. With laser point precision and surgical accuracy, the daily homily conveyed exactly the message I needed to hear. While I have in the past been moved by a scripture reading or homily, never have I been so motivated, inspired and elevated seven times in a row! Just thinking about it makes me want to lace up my (new) hiking boots and hit the trail all over again.
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Courage for Caregivers - September 20
